You can't knock the hustle...

So... it may not be readily apparent what I do. I mentioned in my last post that I participate in Incentive Marketing... not as the Market'er' but as the Market'ee'. Websites offer gifts in return for your participation with sponsor offers. Some of you have probably seen the banners that read "Congratulations, You've won a free laptop," then you click on a link (ch'ching) that sends you to a site that congratulates you and tells you that you have to try a few products to get your gift.

Sounds like a scam right?

Well... everything is a scam when it doesn't work out in your favor. Taxes, The 2004 Election, The Chicago Bears not winning the damn super bowl! Scam Scam Scam! Alas, it is not a scam... everything may not be as it appears on the surface but it is not a scam. If you read the terms and conditions and plan correctly... you can get that laptop they promise, or Plasma Tv, or Ipod. I've earned so much money doing this that I've thought about quitting my job, but there are idiots out there who bend the rules and go out of their way to deceive these companies that are giving out this stuff and it results in rule changes, additional steps and costs, and basically more bullshit to wade through.

To be honest... I can see both sides of this matter. The people who are working these sites take additional steps to protect themselves. They use fake phone numbers, Post office Boxes, multiple phone numbers, and multiple gift cards to complete these sites and when you ask them why, they simply reply, "to protect myself."

I'll admit... I get spammed out the whazzoo in my email and at my home address. My phone rings off the hook. I am constantly annoyed by people calling me trying to sell me stuff I have no interest in.... I even said in my survey I don't smoke... don't call me trying to sell smoking products anusses! Maybe I should protect myself too!!!

But... on the other hand... The companies that give me free stuff for all the inconveniences depend on my information being accurate because if they provide solid leads for advertisers... the advertisers reward them with continued business and referrals. If you're a video store and you see that Blockbuster loves a particular affiliate because that affiliate provides leads with accurate information and an above average retention rate, you're going to advertise with the same company. If you're an advertiser and you see other advertisers floundering under the affiliates marketing plan... then you're not going to advertise with him or pay him as much as a one providing premium leads. By providing false information one is essentially biting the hand that feeds him and makes it hard for me to continue my hustle.

You messin' with my pocketbook now and I don't think it's cool.

So if you want to get in the game... do it legit. Do use real name and address... do get a separate email and phone number and expect to be spammed and contacted by telemarketers to... do use your credit card and only do what you can afford. Do resist the temptation to take shortcuts and don’t bite the hand that feeds you! Think about the Return on Investment. If you have to Spend $100 to get $1000 is it worth it? Hell's yes it is... if you have to spend $100 to get $500... is it worth it? That's up in the air... I'm getting ahead of myself though...

Keep coming back... I'm going to start school soon and starting in 2008 we're going to have so many internet hustlers that Captain All That will have to quit his day job so I can continue to drop the knowledge that will drop the duckets (dollars) into your pockets!

Who'syourdaddy!

The Art of the Hustle

Some nerve right? In this age of Internet savvy people I have the nerve to proclaim myself an Internet Hustler? Thing is... I don't scam people. I teach people. I teach people how to make money and I help companies make money by teaching people how to use their sites. I have become so good at teaching people that people began to call me a hustler. It's a legal hustle obviously... otherwise I wouldn't be blogging about it.

So what do I teach exactly? What are my qualifications?

Well... I own two plasmas, three laptops, two Sony PSPS, Xbox 360 Elite, and a Nintendo Wii. I've also received nearly $20,000 in checks and giftcards. I've helped people earn close to $50,000 worth of gifts and cash over the past two years... and I've done it in my spare time. Did I mention I got most of this stuff for free or pretty darn close to free on the internet. That's my hustle.

I've spent years searching the internet for a way to make money with limited to no skills and I'll be damned.. I found one. I'm not going to walk anyone through the process. If you're smart enough to find this blog then you're smart enough to do the same thing. I will blog about being smart... about using these sites effectively within the terms they've set and keeping the overall health of the incentive marketing industry in good standing.

Incentive Marketing. Getting stuff for being a product sampler... that's my hustle... and I do it well.